Dissolving the Dissolute? Henry VIII and the end of English Monasticism

Glastonbury, the Somerset town best known today for its Festival, once enjoyed far greater wealth and celebrity as a religious centre. In 1191, graves purporting to be those of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere were discovered within the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey. Edward I was present when the remains were re-interred in a new shrine in 1278. Henry VII’s visit in 1494 seemingly confirmed the Abbey’s prestige and importance. A generation later, however, Glastonbury Abbey shared the fate of all English monasteries when it was dissolved during the reign of Henry VIII.

Glastonbury was a Benedictine foundation. Other orders that flourished after 1066 included the Gilbertines, Augustinians and Cistercians. English monasticism peaked in the mid-fourteenth century when there were nearly 1,000 religious houses. The Black Death provided a check, but there were still 825 when Henry VIII ascended the throne. They were home to approximately 7,500 men and 1,800 women.

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